theatre

Prepare to giggle in whatever language suits you best during “Laughs in Spanish,” a telenovela-style comedy opening at Speakeasy Stage this month.

In celebration of its grand opening, new nonprofit arts space Arrow Street Arts in Cambridge will host ArrowFest, an 11-day festival featuring more than 40 performances and events by local artists.

This month, Plays in Place and The National Parks of Boston launch “Suffrage in Black and White,” a series of three site-specific plays addressing the intersection of race and citizenship through the lens of both the abolitionist and suffrage movements in Boston. Highlighting diverse local talent, one play will debut each year through 2026.

There is nothing new under the sun and that includes women’s rights and migrants seeking asylum. Both issues are currently at the forefront of news headlines and political discourse. They were also top of mind 2,500 years ago for the Greek dramatist, Aeschylus, when he wrote the tragic play “The Suppliants.” 

The arts in Massachusetts have taken on a new role from culture creator to healthcare solution. In June, Art Pharmacy and Mass Cultural Council, along with Mass General Brigham, announced the launch of the first statewide arts prescription in the nation.

Just like the people who wear them, hoop earrings come in endless shapes, sizes and colors. Beyond a fabulous fashion accessory, they are a means of ethnic and ancestral expression, particularly for Black, Latine and Indigenous communities.

A head of state believes he has been betrayed, despite all evidence to the contrary. He sets out to destroy his perceived rival and ruins many people in the process. So begins William Shakespeare’s late-career play, “The Winter’s Tale.”

Michael Jackson is about to moonwalk his way onto Boston stages in “MJ The Musical,” a jukebox production based on the life of the famous entertainer that features a biographical narrative and many of the pop star’s greatest hits.

“The Great Gatsby” is about to get a shakeup beyond author F. Scott Fitzgerald’s wildest dreams. A new musical adaptation, “Gatsby,” makes its world premiere at the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) this month featuring a refreshingly diverse cast and an all-star creative team.

In “Next to Normal” at Central Square Theater, a picture-perfect Black family gets ready for their day. Mom makes lunch, dad prepares for his workday as an architect, and two clever teens assemble their school supplies. But the picture, and the audience’s understanding of it, begins to crack as Mom’s bipolar disorder seeps into their daily routines and emotions.

The opening scene in “Senseless Smoke – Live,” a theatrical production based on a film of the same name, brings to life the fears and uncertainties of living in a culture of gangs and guns. As well as efforts to overcome the pathologies of that life.

In “Morning, Noon, and Night,” local playwright Kirsten Greenidge tackles post-pandemic emotions through the lens of a mother-daughter relationship. We got through the pandemic, the play posits, but did we get through all the trauma and emotions that came with it?